How would you imagine the lifespan of a motor neuron compares to that of an erythrocyte?...

How would you imagine the lifespan of a motor neuron compares to that of an erythrocyte? Explain reasoning. (Hint: Is a nucleus present? Does the cell travel around, squeezing - with much wear and tear - through small capillaries?)

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Expert Solution

Ans. The average life span of erythrocytes (RBCs) is 120 days whereas the life span of motor neurons are much longer as compared to erothocytes.

The major roles of erythrocytes are to carry oxygen to different parts of the body due its presence of haemoglobin. Erythrocytes carrying oxygen needs to pass through narrow lumens of small capillaries to reach the required oxygen to different parts. During its movement through very small capillaries, it gets wore and torn. Moreover, due to the absence of nucleus, it has more flexibility and squeezed more to pass through very small capillary lumen besides travelling longer distance inside the body. Carbon dioxide carrying function is also performed by erythrocytes. Such lots of movement causes them ware and tear leading to short life span. On the other hand, the function of motor neuron is singnal transduction. It does not need to move here and there inside the body .It gets confined to their original position without any risk of ware and tare due to travel of long distances through the lumen of capillaries as in case of erythrocytes. Motor neuron are not replaceable, once damaged and dead it can not get back to living state again. Because of these reasons motor neurons have longer life than the erythrocytes.

gladiator answered 1 year ago

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